Teryl Zarnow writes: Our son serves as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine



I cannot begin to fathom my son's experience. He was somber when he said good-bye seven months ago, recognizing the depth of a two-year-commitment. He shares pictures of our house, and he tells me Ukrainian women marvel at how young I look. My life is easier. Our son is upbeat, busy and excited by his various community projects. He has learned enough Russian to carry on a conversation with the taxi driver and, once, even to argue. "This woman and I were shouting at each other," he recounts, "and while it was happening, part of me was amazed that I was shouting in Russian." I cannot even begin to imagine what else he is learning. Everyone says these are experiences that will shape his life forever. Our son left home bright, inquisitive and eager to discover the world. He will be different when eventually he comes home – but somehow I'm sure I will recognize him.

Teryl Zarnow writes: Our son serves as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine

She walks a mile in his flip flops

What her son wants in his care package speaks volumes.

Teryl Zarnow
Family columnist

The Orange County Register
familywriter@aol.com

They say you can tell a lot about a woman by what she carries inside her purse. You can also probably tell a lot about your child by what he requests inside his care packages.

A new pair of flip-flops was the first thing our son wanted. He is posted through the Peace Corps in Ukraine where apparently flip-flops are a rare commodity.

"Keep the flip-flop that didn't blow out," I instruct after I buy him a new pair of rubber sandals. They were made in China, then imported to the U.S., so that I could spend more than the purchase price to export them to Ukraine.

I can tell that although my 23-year-old might not be able to shower regularly, he is still concerned with hygiene. He asked for toothpaste, floss, razors and deodorant. He also wants envelopes and a pad of paper.

Clearly, he is in a country where you cannot take American necessities for granted. The trolley tickets, he tells me, are softer than the local toilet paper.

He is not complaining, however. This is my child who was never confined in a playpen. He still thinks of borders as something to cross and the world as an extended neighborhood.

He tells me there used to be only three radio stations, all of them run by the state. One morning he listened to "Mary Poppins" in Russian. The state now, of course, is a democracy with a few leftover Stalinist statues decorating parks. The government dukes out its disagreements in the courts. Ukrainians celebrate their past military victories with vodka toasts at breakfast and parades after lunch. My son likes that.

His apartment sounds like the remnant of a communist housing project.

He is happy to have it, despite the joy of lugging his belongings up six flights of stairs in the summer heat. The Peace Corps, always concerned for his welfare, has issued him a first-aid kit, fire extinguisher and space heater. He lugs these up the stairs as well.

Things tend to go awry in Ukraine.

Our son was locked inside an apartment with his host family when the deadbolt fell off the door. They were liberated five hours later. The water unaccountably stops for several hours before running once again. Each time we call, we are informed our son's phone number does not exist. Somehow, we must dial three times before the exchange gives in and connects our call.

I cannot begin to fathom my son's experience.

He was somber when he said good-bye seven months ago, recognizing the depth of a two-year-commitment. He shares pictures of our house, and he tells me Ukrainian women marvel at how young I look. My life is easier.

Our son is upbeat, busy and excited by his various community projects. He has learned enough Russian to carry on a conversation with the taxi driver and, once, even to argue.

"This woman and I were shouting at each other," he recounts, "and while it was happening, part of me was amazed that I was shouting in Russian."

I cannot even begin to imagine what else he is learning. Everyone says these are experiences that will shape his life forever.

Our son left home bright, inquisitive and eager to discover the world. He will be different when eventually he comes home – but somehow I'm sure I will recognize him.


Contact the writer: familywriter@aol.com

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: September, 2007; Peace Corps Ukraine; Directory of Ukraine RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Ukraine RPCVs

When this story was posted in November 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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Dodd vows to filibuster Surveillance Act Senator Chris Dodd vowed to filibuster the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that would grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that helped this administration violate the civil liberties of Americans. "It is time to say: No more. No more trampling on our Constitution. No more excusing those who violate the rule of law. These are fundamental, basic, eternal principles. They have been around, some of them, for as long as the Magna Carta. They are enduring. What they are not is temporary. And what we do not do in a time where our country is at risk is abandon them."

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November 12, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Chris Dodd's service began with Peace Corps 9 Nov Matthew McCue called back to Iraq from Peace Corps 9 Nov Tschetter Visits Turkmenistan 9 Nov Lara Weber writes: Oprah Winfrey's stumble 9 Nov Heather Thompson works with P Diddy 7 Nov Karen Hughes' public diplomacy came to nothing 4 Nov James Rupert writes: Musharraf seizes power 3 Nov Martin Puryear is Man of Mysteries 2 Nov Sarah Chayes says Taliban score major victory 1 Nov John Sullivan runs Sudan Divestment Task Force. 30 Oct Tom Bissell writes: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro 28 Oct Chris Shays to seek 12th term 25 Oct Helen Dudley can't stop giving 25 Oct Joseph Acaba named to STS-119 Shuttle Crew 22 Oct Vince Floriani in USA Today's All-USA Teacher Team 22 Oct Kelly J. Morris writes "The Bight of Benin" 20 Oct Charles Shelan was Buddhist monk Wondam’s teacher 19 Oct Peace Corps returning to Liberia 18 Oct David Peckham started Village Bicycle Project 16 Oct Alberto Ibarguen announces grant for "Project Impunity" 15 Oct Campbell Memorial Park boosts ecotourism 15 Oct Bowers Family keep daughter's dream alive 15 Oct

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